The Path Ahead of Us
by NuclearFallout
Summary: (A gap/teaser between A Hero's Journey and it's sequel. I would only read this if you have read A Hero's Journey.) Ten years after A Hero's Journey the Kings of Hammerfell all meet to discuss an event that transpired on Stros M'kai. With no other options, they agree that they have to search for the lost Dragonborn, Vallis, Hammerfell needs him.


The Path Ahead of Us.

4E 212: Ten years after A Hero's Journey.

The warm dusty plains of the Alikr desert plagued the Hammerfell city of Hegathe, riddled with Dwarven ruins. It has been ravaged by sand storms before, but ever since the events on Stros M'kai, people have been suffering much more. Usually they can protect themselves quite well, but with all the refugees it has been much harder. In fact, the Dwarves have made such procautions and left them behind when they became extinct. Such amazing creatures they were. But, it was still not enough to aid in the growing problem. For the past month the island of Stros M'kai has been sealed, locked down.

A massive impenetrable Dwarven metal dome has sealed the entire island, a large red glow also consumes it. Survivors make it out every day, but their bodies are...altered. All of them are plagued with a dark green rash on their chest, it slowly spreads in their bodies killing them. Medicine can prolong the effects for a while, but depending on several aspects the person will die sooner. The government of Hammerfell cannot support these refugees any longer, no one can find a cure for the disease with alchemy, magicka, enchanting. Hammerfell has made several attempts at getting close to the dome with their many ships, but complications were faced. When a ship gets to close two things may happen, the domes defense measures kicks in and starts firing large Dwarven explosive bolts at the boat, or there is the other.

The ancient and last remaining red dragon on Tamriel known as Nahfahlaar will take matters into his own hands and strike down any invaders.

Virtually no help has come from the empire since Hammerfell is still technically a seperate nation. They have eased into getting closer to the empire since the Dovahkiin wiped out the Aldmeri Dominion, but they are still not a part of it. A plan must be made, the people of Stros M'kai needed help, Hammerfell needed help, they were worried because their elder scrolls were on Stros M'kai, it was the only place in Hammerfell they could be read.

It was a time of need, all the Redguard kings of the major cities, Helgathe, Sentinel, Gilane, Skaven, Taneth, Dragonstar, and Elinhir. All met to discuss their current situation, what this dome was, and how they could stop this dragon. They met at a place where only few knew about, the spot in which the hammer known as Volendrung first landed when the leader of the Rourkon clan threw it from Morrowind, legend has it, that the hammer could unlock secret Dwarven ruins as a key, even Stros M'kai. But only one person had it at the time, Vallis the dragonborn. Many sunken and sand covered Dwarven ruins riddled the land, only a small hut with a long table and desk remained. The kings lit up the room and all sat down, basically started yelling at king Kalort.

He was a middle aged redguard, his hair was getting grayer, he wore his noble robes and kings crown, as he took in the insults. His daughter, Maria stood behind him. She was a young and beautiful Redguard woman, unfortunately she to was infected with the disease. All the old wise kings began to yell and argue with each other,

"KALORT! Why haven't you fixed this problem yet?! We have waited a month and yet nothing changes!? We are losing profit from the islands closer! We have no access to the elder scrolls and the Dwarves observatory Orrery!? What is the situation?!"

The old man sat up and slammed his dark hands on the sandy smooth stone table, the angry crowd of kings listened to him,

"BY SATAKALS WORLDLY HUNGER I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING IN MY POWER! My brothers, I do know the extent of the situation at hand, my own daughter has gained the sickness that plagues our people! But we can not get close to the island! It seems the dwarves built it so only one thing could open it, Volendrung. Plus, the ancient dragon Nahfahlaar is guarding it."

There was a great chatter amongst the crowd, the king of Dragonstar stood up and yelled,

"Impossible! There hasn't been a dragon spotted in two years! And that was in Skyrim! Nahfahlaar is dead, how could he be back?"

Kalort sat back down and gave a small smile under his graying beard,

"Well, perhaps Alduin brought him back when the dragon crisis arised eleven years ago. But the question is why he would wait eleven years to do this. But, me and my daughter have found a possible way to stop all of this, I will let her speak."

Maria pulled down her hood to show her long black hair in a ponytail, she was a scholar on Stros M'kai, the one in charge of the Elder Scrolls. She managed to save one scroll, it was attached to her back. She gave a small bow to the council then began to talk.

"Thank you high kings of Hammerfell for seeing me. I believe that we have found a solution to our dragon and dome problem. I know what we can do."

She looked in her sac attached to her robes and pulled out an object wrapped in a white cloth. She removed the cloth and placed the object on the desk. It was a mask, no ordinary mask though, it was a legendary dragon priest mask. This one was named Nahkriin, it belonged to the Dragonborn.

The room was silent as they saw the black mask placed on the stone table, one yelled out,

"Well, what is it!?"

She smiled and began to describe to the group, "this is a dragon priest mask from Skyrim. It belonged to Nahkriin, a priest who once served Alduin. But I am not here to give you a lesson on Nordic history, this mask once belonged to the Dragonborn. My mother found it floating in the Illiac bay three years ago. I tell you all about the Dragonborn because he is the one who possesses Volendrung and he is the ultimate dragon slayer."

The room went silent for a moment, but everyone burst into laughter. Everyone couldn't stop, Maria looked at her father, she heard one of the kings yell out,

"You both are fools! The Dragonborn hasn't been seen in ten years! He's probably dead, now can we talk about a reasonable way to end this conflict?"

Maria pleaded with them, "No! Please! You men are kings, your land is in danger! If we can't find the Dragonborn, we have to find Volendrung! We send someone to Winterhold, we talk to the Dragonborns brother, maybe he has it, maybe he has a lead!?"

All the kings stood up and and they began to argue a little with each other, they finally came to an agreement.

"We do not have the time, resources, or the want to follow such leads. We are sorry but if you believe this is the only thing to do, then you and Kalort are the only ones who will waste their time on it. Go ah..."

King Kalort stood up and eased everyone down with his hands,

"Everyone! I would ask that you all relax! I understand that this is a very risky quest to follow, but I insist that we send a ship to Winterhold."

"Kalort! You are insane, if what you told us is true then we will need all the ships, cannons, and men we need to take out that damn dragon!"

Maria quietly yelled out from the back of the room,

"I'll go."

The room went silent once more, the kings made no sound at the remark of Maria, the daughter of a king. Kalort ran over to his daughter and grabbed her by the shoulders,

"Daughter! I will not have such thoughts even process from your mind! You haven't even left Hammerfell! You are sick! Infected with the disease!"

Maria argued with her father,

"Father if I don't go and search for the dragonborn, if I don't go and search for the ancient key, Volendrung then I will be dead anyways. I believe he is still alive, this is the man who became Akatosh! He was scared away, but I know if I speak to his brother at Winterhold, I will find something!"

"How would you even get there daughter!?"

"I have my own ship, I can find a crew, I can just sail up from Sentinel into the Illac bay and through the sea of ghosts. Besides, the medicine will keep me well for a few months."

"We don't know that daughter! It just started in you, it can spread in a matter of hours, days, weeks?"

"If I don't go, then I will be sure to die along with the rest of our people, and that dragon surely has plans."

The entire kings court of Hammerfell were speaking amongst each other, they all came to a unanimous vote, one that Kalort disagreed with.

"Maria A'knir. We have all agreed that you will be the one to search for the dragonborn, but more importantly Volendrung, that is the key! We will supply you with a crew but the ship is your own problem."

Maria said cheerfully, "I accept!"

In a few days Maria, daughter of the king of Hegathe was off to search for Vallis the Dragonborn, and the key hammer Volendrung. She would need these to save herself, her people, Stros M'kai, and defeat the evil red dragon Nahfahlaar.

Coming eventually, The Elder Scrolls V: Redguard. Inspired by the DLC that never was, but everyone hoped for.

**Authors Notes**

**Alright, I have no idea when I will upload this, I have to finish Origins: Ahzidal, then I have an idea for two more stories. But I wanted to let everyone know what the next story will be about.**


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